Landslide susceptibility zonation method based on C5.0 decision tree and K-means cluster algorithms to improve the efficiency of risk management

Machine learning algorithms are an important measure with which to perform landslide susceptibility assessments, but most studies use GIS-based classification methods to conduct susceptibility zonation.This study presents a machine learning approach based on the C5.0 decision tree(DT) model and the K-means cluster algorithm to produce a regional landslide susceptibility map. Yanchang County, a typical landslide-prone area located in northwestern China, was taken as the area of interest to introduce the proposed application procedure. A landslide inventory containing 82 landslides was prepared and subsequently randomly partitioned into two subsets: training data(70% landslide pixels) and validation data(30% landslide pixels). Fourteen landslide influencing factors were considered in the input dataset and were used to calculate the landslide occurrence probability based on the C5.0 decision tree model.Susceptibility zonation was implemented according to the cut-off values calculated by the K-means cluster algorithm. The validation results of the model performance analysis showed that the AUC(area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve) of the proposed model was the highest, reaching 0.88,compared with traditional models(support vector machine(SVM) = 0.85, Bayesian network(BN) = 0.81,frequency ratio(FR) = 0.75, weight of evidence(WOE) = 0.76). The landslide frequency ratio and frequency density of the high susceptibility zones were 6.76/km^(2) and 0.88/km^(2), respectively, which were much higher than those of the low susceptibility zones. The top 20% interval of landslide occurrence probability contained 89% of the historical landslides but only accounted for 10.3% of the total area.Our results indicate that the distribution of high susceptibility zones was more focused without containing more " stable" pixels. Therefore, the obtained susceptibility map is suitable for application to landslide risk management practices.

Population structure and reproductive parameters of the Longneck croaker, <i>Pseudotolithus typus</i>(Pisces, Bleeker, 1863) in nearshore waters of Benin (West Africa) and their implications for management

Pseudotolithus typus is one of the two commercially important Sciaenids off Benin nearshore waters mainly fished by beach seining. Unfortunately, since 1994, the production of this species has been decreasing, and increasingly more small-sized fishes are regularly harvested, while little is known about the species’ population structure and its life history. Therefore, population structure, probability of capture and size at first capture were investigated using length-frequency data of 1144 specimens sampled from beach seine hauls over a period of 18 months. A total of 54.3% of this population was immature, confirming the domination of smallsized fishes in the catches. Gonad maturation stages were also examined. Frequency distribution of oocyte size exhibited two cohorts of mature oocytes suggesting two spawning periods per year. Monthly averages of gonado-somatic index confirmed that P. typus spawned twice a year during the major warm season (March - May) and during the transition minor warm to minor cold season in October - November. Length at first capture (L75 = 22.76 cm) was smaller than the length at first sexual maturation (L50% = 23.6 cm) indicating a heavy pressure of the beach seine on this resource. To give each fish the chance of reproducing at least once in its lifetime to recruit into the stock, necessary measures such as the size-limit regulation by gradually increasing beach seine mesh size should be developed. Community-based management of the nearshore fishery could contribute to reducing fishing effort during the reproductive periods from February to May and from October to December each year.

Working Capital Management and Firms’ Profitability: Evidence from Quoted Firms on the Nigerian Stock Exchange

Over the years, it appeared that firms failed to subject short-term investments to proper management thereby leading to either excessive or inadequate working capital which in turn affected their profitability. To empirically satisfy this, this paper examined working capital management and firms’ profitability in Nigeria quoted firms on Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). A panel data methodology was used with different regression estimators to analyze this relationship based on a balanced panel of 10 listed firms during the period 2008-2017. It was discovered that cash collection period and cash payment period exerted a negative impact on return on assets, though the impact was only significant for cash payment period on the ground of &#8722;0.064 (p = 0.000 &#8722;0.032 (p = 0.077 > 0.05). Also discovered was that both the current ratio and inventory period exerted a positive impact on return on assets, though the impact was only significant for current ratio on the ground of 8.172 (p = 0.000 0.05). The study concluded that working capital management affected firms’ profitability in Nigeria. Therefore it was recommended that while the shorter collection was maintained, payment to creditors should not be elongated so as to enjoy cash discount (if any) and that firms should be proactive in the management of raw materials in order to avoid idle resources that might negatively impact their financial performance.

Impact of risk management strategies on the credit risk faced by commercial banks of Balochistan

This study aims to identify risk management strategies undertaken by the commercial banks of Balochistan,Pakistan,to mitigate or eliminate credit risk.The findings of the study are significant as commercial banks will understand the effectiveness of various risk management strategies and may apply them for minimizing credit risk.This explanatory study analyses the opinions of the employees of selected commercial banks about which strategies are useful for mitigating credit risk.Quantitative data was collected from 250 employees of commercial banks to perform multiple regression analyses,which were used for the analysis.The results identified four areas of impact on credit risk management(CRM):corporate governance exerts the greatest impact,followed by diversification,which plays a significant role,hedging and,finally,the bank’s Capital Adequacy Ratio.This study highlights these four risk management strategies,which are critical for commercial banks to resolve their credit risk.

New Ways to Deepen Reform in Foreign Trade Enterprises An interview with Yan Junxiu, General Manager of the Beijing Garment I/E shareholding Corp.

The Beijing Garment Import and Export Shareholding Corporation, Ltd. was the first shareholding corporation in Beijing which was set up in February 18, 1994. Its predecessor, the Beijing Garment Import and Export Corporation, had registered annual import and export earnings of US$300 million, ranking first among the foreign trade corporations in Beijing. Its change into a shareholding corporation has aroused keen interest in garment

Shareholder Structure and Discretionary Regulation of Accounting Results in Enterprises: The Case of Cameroon

Debates on shareholder structure and discretionary management of accounting results have carried forward controversial results. This study is intended to analyze within the Cameroonian context the impact of shareholder structure on the management of accounting results in enterprises. More specifically, its objective is to analyze the impact of shareholder structure on the adjustment of regulating discretionary accounting variables. A panel of enterprises is constituted over the periods 2013, 2014, and 2015 in Cameroon. The modeling of regulating discretionary accounting variables has been carried out according to the model of Jones (1991). The different results obtained show that the degree of concentration of the capital seems not to dissuade the management of result per long-term positions. Foreign ownership and state property stimulate management by regulating discretionary accounting variables.

Expropriation of Big Shareholders——Research Review on the Domestic Literature

It is tangible that big shareholders infringe the interests of small and medium shareholders in China's listed companies,and such behaviors of big shareholders influence not only the normal production and business operation of companies but also the sound development of the capital market. At the same time,the economic order of society is also disturbed. Therefore,expropriation of big shareholders shall be governed effectively in time. This paper tries to analyze related research findings on expropriation and make conclusion from three aspects—the ways of expropriation,economic consequences of expropriation and the management effects of expropriation,pointing out the limitation of present research and the direction for the future.

γ-glutamyl transferase-to-platelet ratio based nomogram predicting overall survival of gallbladder carcinoma

BACKGROUND Gallbladder carcinoma(GBC)carries a poor prognosis and requires a prediction method.Gamma-glutamyl transferase–to–platelet ratio(GPR)is a recently reported cancer prognostic factor.Although the mechanism for the relationship between GPR and poor cancer prognosis remains unclear,studies have demonstrated the clinical effect of both gamma-glutamyl transferase and platelet count on GBC and related gallbladder diseases.AIM To assess the prognostic value of GPR and to design a prognostic nomogram for GBC.METHODS The analysis involved 130 GBC patients who underwent surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from December 2003 to April 2017.The patients were stratified into a high-or low-GPR group.The predictive ability of GPR was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis and a Cox regression model.We developed a nomogram based on GPR,which we verified using calibration curves.The nomogram and other prognosis prediction models were compared using timedependent receiver operating characteristic curves and the concordance index.RESULTS Patients in the high-GPR group had a higher risk of jaundice,were older,and had higher carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels and worse postoperative outcomes.Univariate analysis revealed that GPR,age,body mass index,tumor–node–metastasis(TNM)stage,jaundice,cancer cell differentiation degree,and carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels were related to overall survival(OS).Multivariate analysis confirmed that GPR,body mass index,age,and TNM stage were independent predictors of poor OS.Calibration curves were highly consistent with actual observations.Comparisons of timedependent receiver operating characteristic curves and the concordance index showed advantages for the nomogram over TNM staging.CONCLUSION GPR is an independent predictor of GBC prognosis,and nomogram-integrated GPR is a promising predictive model for OS in GBC.

Estimation of USLE crop and management factor values for crop rotation systems in China

Soil erosion on cropland is a major source of environmental problems in China ranging from the losses of a non-renewable resource and of nutrients at the source to contamination of downstream areas. Regional soil loss assessments using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) would supply a scientiifc basis for soil conservation planning. However, a lack of in-formation on the cover and management (C) factor for cropland, one of the most important factors in the USLE, has limited accurate regional assessments in China due to the large number of crops grown and their complicated rotation systems. In this study, single crop soil loss ratios (SLRs) were col ected and quantiifed for 10 primary crops from past studies or re-ports. The mean annual C values for 88 crop rotation systems in 12 cropping system regions were estimated based on the combined effects of single crop SLRs and the percentage of annual rainfal erosivity (R) during the corresponding periods for each system. The C values in different cropping system regions were compared and discussed. The results indicated that the SLRs of the 10 primary crops ranged from 0.15 to 0.74. The mean annual C value for al 88 crop rotation systems was 0.34, with a standard deviation of 0.12. The mean C values in the single, double and triple cropping zones were 0.37, 0.36 and 0.28, respectively, and the C value in the triple zone was signiifcantly different from those in single and double zones. The C values of dryland crop systems exhibited signiifcant differences in the single and triple cropping system regions but the differences in the double regions were not signiifcant. This study is the ifrst report of the C values of crop rotation systems in China at the national scale. It wil provide necessary and practical parameters for accurately assessing regional soil losses from cropland to guide soil conservation plans and to optimize crop rotation systems.

Performance Analysis for Mobility Management of Dual Connectivity in HetNet

Dual connectivity(DC)is regarded as a promising technology to increase users’throughput,provide radio link robustness,and improve load-balancing among base stations(BSs).However,since the introduction of DC makes the mobility of network more complex and diversified,especially the mobility management of heterogeneous networks(HetNets)based on DC faces great challenges.Taking event-A3-based measurement report as the trigger condition for handover(HO),this paper compares and evaluates the influences of HO of master nodes(MNs)and secondary nodes(SNs)on link reliability in different bearing modes.Particularly,hybrid automatic repeat request(HARQ),throughput,channel quality indicators(CQIs),and data packets queuing time are taken as link reliability analysis indicators.Besides,we study how DC utilizes the traffic split ratio between MNs and SNs to maximize the superiority of throughput.Simulation results show that DC can effectively reduce the impact of HO on the number of HARQ and increase the throughput of users.When the data traffic is tilted to the secondary nodes,the superiority of throughput is more obvious.

Perioperative management of primary liver cancer

AIM:To minimize the complications and mortality and improve the survival in primary liver cancer (PLC) patients undergoing hepatic resection. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 2143 PLC patients treated from January 1990 to January 2004. The patients were divided into two groups using January 1997 as a cut-off. Small tumor size (< 5 cm), preoperative redox tolerance index (RTI), vascular control method, and postoperative arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR) were used as indicators of surgical outcome. RESULTS: Small tumors had less complications and lower mortality and higher overall survival rate. Use of RTI for selecting patients and types of hepatectomy, reduced complications (21.1% vs 11.0%) and mortality (1.6% vs 0.3%). The half liver vascular occlusion protocol (n = 523) versus the Pringle method (n = 476) showed that the former significantly reduced the postoperative complications (25.8% vs 11.9%) and mortality (2.3% vs 0.6%) respectively, and cut mean hospital stay was 3.5 d. Postoperative AKBR was a reliable indicator of the energy status in survivors. CONCLUSION: RTI is of value in predicting hepatic functional reserve, half liver occlusion could protect the residual liver function, and AKBR measurement is a simple and accurate means of assessing the state of postoperative metabolism. Optimal perioperative management is an important factor for minimizing complications and mortality in patients undergoing hepatic resection.

Delisting in Athens Stock Exchange

The scope of this paper is to contribute to the question of delisting (both voluntary and involuntary), with particular emphasis on the initial conditions leading up to the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the firms. The case of Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) is examined, specifically the IPOs of years 1996-2004 and their subsequent performance (delisting or not) till the end of 2017. We find that the probability of delisting is positively associated with the size of the issuance and the degree of earnings’ manipulation and negatively associated with audit quality, information transparency, and market timing. The effects of audit quality, size of issuance, and earnings’ manipulation are accentuated in instances of voluntary delisting while the effect of market timing is more clearly pronounced in instances of involuntary delisting. Our results are robust to a number of confounding factors including size, profitability, leverage, liquidity, growth options, and corporate governance. Our work is not replication of existing studies;in addition, we choose ASE as in that capital market there were many delistings the last two decades.

Cassava Groundnut Intercropping: A Sustainable Land Management Practice for Increasing Crop Productivity and Organic Carbon Stock on Smallholder Farms

Cassava-groundnut intercropping is not a common practice among smallholder farmers in Sierra Leone even though both crops are well suited for intercropping. On-farm trials were conducted in three locations (Bai Largor, Bassah, and Njala Kanima) in the Moyamba district during the 2021 cropping season to investigate the efficacy of cassava-groundnut intercropping for increasing crop productivity and soil organic carbon stock on smallholder farms in the Moyamba district, Southern Sierra Leone. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design in three replications with treatments of sole groundnut, sole cassava and cassava-groundnut intercropping. Data on the yield and yield components of cassava and groundnut were analysed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 and means were compared using the standard error of difference (SED). The above-ground biomass, number of roots per plant, and fresh root yield of cassava were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by the cassava-based cropping system. Averaged across locations, intercropping cassava with groundnut decreased the above-ground biomass, the number of roots per plant, and fresh root yield of cassava by 17%, 11%, and 17%, respectively. The above-ground biomass, number of pods per plant and fresh pod yield of groundnut were significantly (p 1), the highest net revenue and benefit-cost ratio. The benefit-cost ratio was also favourable for the sole cassava (BCR > 1) but not favourable for the sole groundnut (BCR < 1). Averaged across locations, intercropping cassava with groundnut increased the benefit-cost ratio by 121% and 13% when compared to the sole groundnut and sole cassava. In the event of a 40% yield loss for the cassava and groundnut, the benefit-cost ratio was favourable (1.12) only for the cassava groundnut intercropping system. The net soil organic carbon stock was favourable only for the cassava-groundnut intercrop. Averaged across locations, the net soil organic carbon for the cassava-groundnut intercropping increased by 3.4% when compared to the baseline within one cropping cycle of the cassava (12 months). The results confirm that cassava-groundnut intercropping is a sustainable land management practice that could enhance crop productivity and soil organic carbon stock on smallholder farms.

Diabetic Nephropathy and Management

Chronic kidney disease affects people worldwide. Approximately 1 out of 3 adults with diabetes have kidney disease. Among several etiological factors for CKD, diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension are the main factors. These factors not only cause CKD but are also responsible for several complications related to CKD. In this article, we have reviewed Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) in terms of etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, management, current guidelines for diabetic nephropathy management, and some of the research study findings. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the chief factor for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) development across the globe. The primary cause of DN is Diabetes Mellitus, which is an autoimmune lifestyle disorder having several etiological factors. Checking for urine albuminuria, estimated GFR (eGFR), and blood glucose are unswerving tests for DN diagnosis and subsequent monitoring. Controlling hyperglycemia, blood pressure, and proteinuria are critical in stopping the progression of DKD. Clinical practice and evidence-based medicine demonstrated that early diagnosis followed by treatment can prevent or halt DKD progression.

管理者超额积极情绪对企业风险承担的影响研究

选取我国2010-2020年A股非金融上市公司年报作为研究样本,构建管理者超额积极情绪指标,研究管理者超额积极情绪对企业风险承担的影响以及相应的影响机制,并探究股权激励在其中的调节作用。实证研究表明,管理者超额积极情绪能促进企业风险承担;股权激励在其中起到正向调节作用,会促进管理者超额积极情绪对企业风险承担的正向影响。作用机制检验表明,管理者超额积极情绪主要通过增加债务融资和减少融资约束程度促进企业风险承担。进一步分析表明,管理者超额积极情绪对企业风险承担的促进作用在非国有企业、高机构投资者持股比例显著。

机构投资者退出威胁与企业绿色创新

提高企业绿色创新水平是实现高质量发展的重要途径。基于2010—2020年沪深A股上市公司数据,实证检验机构投资者退出威胁对企业绿色创新的影响。研究发现,机构投资者退出威胁能够推动企业绿色创新;而且,以机构投资者持股比例为门槛变量,机构投资者退出威胁对企业绿色创新的影响存在单门槛效应,当机构投资者持股比例超过门槛值后,退出威胁的正向作用得以显现。进一步的路径分析表明,机构投资者退出威胁能够促使企业加大研发投入、积极履行环境责任。此外,在机构投资者为抗压型、企业为非国有性质或重污染行业的情况下,机构投资者退出威胁的绿色创新赋能效应更显著。

某公立医院医用耗材SPD管理模式实践探索

目的:建设医用耗材SPD物流管理模式,提升医院医用耗材管理水平。方法:采用传统耗材管理模式与医用耗材SPD管理模式相比较的方法;通过医用耗材SPD物资管理系统与HIS收费系统互通、射频识别技术、智能屋和智能柜等对医院医用耗材进行精细化管理。结果:运用医用耗材SPD管理模式有效减少了医护人员管理耗材工作量,提升了工作效率,降低了耗材库存资金占用量与耗材管理成本,有效降低了耗占比。结论:SPD管理模式可有效提升医用耗材特别是低值耗材精细化管理水平,实现降本增效,促进医院高质量发展。

土地经营权入股公司:股东出资、保本投资与配套制度

土地经营权入股发展农业产业化经营是深化农村土地制度改革的重要举措,也是促进农业适度规模经营、实现小农户和现代农业发展有机衔接的重要途径。土地经营权入股公司应定性为股东出资行为,以公司法为基础,完善股东出资、法人运行与配套措施等方面的法律法规。在股东出资方面,应限定出资标的物范围,完善农村土地价值评估机制。在法人运行方面,为农民股东优先配置可转换的、可累积的及可参与嗣后分配的优先股以基本实现其“保底收益+按股分红”目的;为农民股东配置优先股赎回权、清算优先权与股份回购保险以基本实现“保本退出”目的。在配套措施方面,国家应灵活运用宏观调控措施以改善农业弱质性问题,完善农村社会保障制度以破除农民失地失业困境。

高管团队稳定性对公司成长性影响分析

近年来我国部分上市公司出现了高管团队“大换血”现象,引起了资本市场的广泛关注。上市公司高管团队是公司战略决策的制定者与执行者,高管团队稳定性对公司经营及未来发展影响重大。本文以2009—2022年沪深A股上市公司为研究样本,实证检验了高管团队稳定性与公司成长性之间的关系,深入研究了高管团队稳定性对公司未来发展的影响问题。